Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-01-14

dares to contemplate, his senses grow
confused. his brain reels: fearful
scream issues from his lips, and he falls
to the floor insensible.
CHAPTER XI.
Dora. after her interview with Ar
thur DyuecOurt. feels indeed that all
is lost. HOPE is Misunderstanding
remains but despair; and i'll this IN
stance despair gains in DOignancy by
the knowledge that she believes she
knows the man who would help them
to solution of their troubles if he ever
would or dared. No; clearly he dare
notl Therefore, no assistance can be
looked for from him.
Dinner at the castle has been a pro-
miscuous sort Of entertainment for the
past three or four days, so Dora feels
no conjunction in declining TO go TO 1t.
In her own room she sits brooding mis-
erably over her inability to be of any
use in the present crisis, when she sud-
denly remembers that she had prom
Used III the afternoon when with Flor
ence to give her, later on, an account
of her effort to obtain the truth about
this mystery which is narrowing them.
1t is now eleven O'Clock and Dora de-
cides that she must see Florence at once.
hlSIilR- wal ilN. 0Ii' ~ sibOub w 'IOos'
the corridor to her cousin room, when,
the door opening, she sees Florence,
with a pale face and agitated, coming
toward her.
You. Florence," she exclaih ;. Il
was Just going to you, to tell you that
nv hopes of this afternoon are all"
LET me speak" interrupts Florence
breathlessly. Il must, or" She sinks
into a chair, her eyes close, and lnyol-
unfairly she lays her hand upon her
heart as if to allay its tumultuous beat
ing.
Dora. really alarmed, rushing to her
dressing case. seiZes upon flask OF
eau-de-C Cologne. and filings some Of its
contents freely over the falnting girl.
Florence, with Il sigh, rOuseS herself,
and sits upright.
There is no time to lose" she says
confusedly. "Oh. Dora" Here she
breaks down and bursts into tears.
Try to compose Yourself" entreats
Dora, seeing the girl has some impOr-
tant news to impart, but is so nervous
and unstrung as to be almost incapable
of speaking with any conference. But
presently Florence grows calmer, and
then, her voice becoming clear and full,
she is able to unburden her heart.
"All this day | have been oppressed
by curious restleSsneSS," she says to
Dora; and, when you left me this af-
ternoon, your vague promises of being
able to elucidate the terrible secret
more unsettled. | did not go down to
dinner"
Neither did l." puts in Mrs. Talbot
alphabetically.
Il wandered up and down my room
for at least two hours, thinking always,
and waiting for the moment when you
would return, according to promise,
and tell me the success of your hidden
enterprise. You did not come. and at
half past nine, unable to stay any lon
ger III my own room with only my own
thoughts for company, | opened my
door, and, listening intently, found by
the deep silence that reigned through
out the house that almost every one
was gone, if not to bed, at least to
their own rooms"
Lady FitzAlmOnt and Gertrude
passed to their rooms about an hour
ago" SAYS Dora. But some of the men,
| think, are still in the smoking-rOom."
II did not think of them. | stole
from my room, and roamed idly
through the halls. Suddenly Il great
| can not help thinking now super
naturally strong desire to go into the
servants corridor took possession of
me. Without allowing myself an in
slant hesitation, | turned in its direc-
ton, and walked on until | reached it."
She pauses here, and draws her
breath rapidly.
60 on entreats Dora impatiently.
The lamp was burning dimly. The
servants were all down-stairs-at their
supper, | suppOse-because there was
no trace of them anywhere. Not a
sound could be heard. The whole place
looked melancholy and deserted, and
filled me with sense of awe | could
not overcome. Still it attracted me. |
fingered there, walking up and down
until its very monotony Wearied me;
even then | was loath to leave it, and,
turning into small Sitting-I Dom, |
stood staring idly around me. At last,
somewhere in the distance | heard q
clock strike ten. and, turning, L decid-
ed on going back once more to my
room"
Again, emotion overcoming her Flor
ence pauScs, and leans back i'll heI
chair.
well, but what is there in all this to
tcrrify you SO muChr" demands heI
cousin, somewhat hcwildered.
"Ah. give me time. Now am com.
lilG W ~ ltI'lltN II Itl tlilt IbIAN My
YOU know the large screen that
stands in the corridor just outside the
sitting-room | have mentioned-put
there, | imagine to break the draughtp
Well, | had come out of the room and
was standing half-hidden by this
screen, when | saw something that
paralyZed me with fear"
She rises 70 her feet and grows dead
ly pale as she says this, as though the
sensation of fear she has been describ-
ing has come to her again.
You saw" prompts Dora, rising
too, and trembling violently. rs though
i'll expectation of some fatal tidings.
Il saw the door of the room that
leads to the haunted chamber slowly
move. 1t opened; the door that has
been locked for nearly fifty years, and
that has filled the breasts of all the ser
wants here with terror and dismay, was
cautiously thrown openl A scream
rose to my lips but was either too ter
riiied to give utterance to it, or else
some strong determination too know
what would follow restrained me, and
| stood silent. like one turned into
stone / had instinctively moved back
a step or two, and was now completely
hidden from sight, though | could see
all that was passing in the corridor
through Il lple III lllt Ildnle-NOrh OF
the screen. At last figure came with
hesitating footsteps from behind the
door into the fun glare of the flicker
ing lamp, | could see him distinctly.
Ii was
Arthur Dynecourt." cries the widow,
covering her CHASTITY face with her
hands.
Florence regards her with surprise.
1t was" she says ut last. But how
did you guess it?"
Il knew it." cries Dora frantically.
He has murdered him, he has hidden
his body away in that forgotten cham
Der. He was gloating over his victim,
no doubt, just before you saw him,
stealing down from secret visE to
the scene of his crime"
Dora" exclaims Florence, grasping
her arm, IF he should not have murder
him after all, if he should only have
secured him there, holding him prison.
er until he should see his way more
clearly TO getting rid of himl If this
idea be the correct one, we may yet be
in time TO save, to rescue himle
The agitation of the past hours prov
ing now too mu1h for her, Florence